Cement Manufacturing
The manufacture of Portland cement is a complex process, from mining the raw materials to grinding and mixing, to firing in a rotary kiln, milling into a powder, and finally packaging it for sale. Combustion air flow measurement systems from Air Monitor can optimize many of these critical cement production steps.
In modern cement manufacturing plants, strict control measures are used to remove moisture from the process and to create the right air-to-fuel ratio for burners. The flow of combustion air is key to achieving the right temperature needed for chemical bonding of the raw materials in the cement kiln, resulting in the intermediary product called clinker. Finally, airflow control for material drying of the clinker and gypsum mixture must be precise to ensure the Portland cement powder is free of moisture and ready for packaging.
We can help you
Lower Energy Costs
Cement plants rely on burner equipment to perform key process functions. Generating extremely high temperatures means high fuel costs. Achieving the optimal firing rate for burner equipment with flow stations and transmitters from Air Monitor will increase efficiency and lower operating costs.
Improve Efficiency
With accurate instrumentation to measure the combustion flow of air and fuel, the boiler system can be tuned to the optimal air-to-fuel ratio. By regulating the secondary and tertiary air flow from the kiln, cement plants can recycle part of the heat, creating greater combustion efficiency in the cement production process.
Reduce emissions of CO2, SO2, NOx
Manufacturing cement creates particulate-laden airflows and is subject to emissions regulations. Accurate flow measurement of combustion flue gases can help maximize pollution control processes, as well as carbon capture and utilization systems.
Auto Purge lll
Air Monitor’s AUTO-purge III is designed for hot, dirty airflow applications, such as cement plants, where continuous exposure to airborne dust or particulates might impair the measurement accuracy of our Combustion Air Station (CA Station) or our VOLU-probe/SS array. A periodic purging with high-pressure high-volume air assists in clearing the sensing ports of the total and static pressure manifolds.
CA Station - Combustion Airflow Measurement Station
Air Monitor’s ruggedly constructed Combustion Air (CA) Station, with both integral airflow processing cell and Fechheimer-Pitot measurement technology, is engineered to meet the challenging operating conditions in cement manufacturing, such as heavy particulate matter, high process temperatures, and wide variations in fuel composition.
CAMS™ - Combustion Airflow Management System
The Combustion Airflow Management System provides a reliable and accurate means of flow measurement. Combined into a single engineered package are the CAMM™ – Combustion Airflow Management Module and the AUTO-purge III to protect against the presence of airborne dust and particulate matter so prevalent in cement production.
VOLU-probe SS – Stainless Steel Traverse Probe with Transmitter
The VOLU-probe/SS is ideal for harsh, particulate-laden applications. It consists of multiple Pitot total and static pressure sensing ports positioned along the length of each probe to traverse the duct cross-section. They average the sensed pressures in their separate internal manifolds and provide velocity pressure measurement accurate to within 2-3% of actual flow.
Increase Sustainability of Cement Manufacturing Plants with Combustion Air Flow Measurement
Manufacturing Portland cement is an energy-intensive process with a significant global carbon footprint. To reduce CO2 emissions, many cement plants have added alternative fuels – such as recycled waste and even auto tires – to their mix of energy sources.
To ensure that these varied fuel sources don’t negatively affect the firing rate, operators can install combustion control systems, such as Air Monitor’s Combustion Airflow Management System. The CAMS™ can monitor the high-temperature, high-particulate matter fuel flow through the system so that individual fuel and air flow rates can be adjusted to accomplish maximum burner efficiency.
